The Watergate scandal was a political scandal in the United States during the early 1970s. It began with a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters located in the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C. The break-in was linked to members of President Richard Nixon's administration, who sought to gather intelligence on their political opponents. As investigations unfolded, it was revealed that the Nixon administration had attempted to cover up its involvement in the break-in. This led to a series of revelations about abuse of power, resulting in Nixon's resignation in 1974, making him the first U.S. president to do so.